Baoding Middle School

Alright, mark this day on your calendar folks. Below that kindly write “The Official Day Daniel wished he was fluent in mandarin Chinese. The girl who I was partnered with was incredibly nice and we shared a special bond only experienced between the opaque screen that is the ever tricky language barrier. We both enjoyed the perplexing activity of of trying to get to know each other. It was eye opening and a pretty fun time. Otherwise we were treated like rock stars, Greek gods, or what have you. Which to be frank was an extra puff to the old ego balloon, as well as an odd “When did I become so fascinating” experience. So to summerize the last 8 hours, it twas very fun my fellow friends, romans, and countrymen.
- High Chancellor of the Galactic Senate: Dan “il padrino” Rosenberg

This country is amazing and most of it leaves me in awe. I really honestly didn’t know what to expect when we arrived, but awh man! We arrived at the school in Boading and I could tell that the students had been waiting for us for a long time, they were excited to meet us. Like the rest of the people we have met in this country they took a billion pictures of us/ and with us I feel like a famous person (its really kind of odd). I can’t wait to share my pictures peace I feel like they are worth more than the words I could say. The students we met with were very sweet. I was paired with a guy because of the game we played, to be honest I couldn’t say his name the least bit. He was very sweet and nice he even offered to carry my bookbag which was very heavy filled with camera gear. Every one was so kind, although this visit made me wish I knew Chinese very very very very badly. <3 malorie

Baoding

Boading, Boading, Boading! I have never felt so welcomed before. When we arrived they all cheered and clapped (we even had the red carpet treatment). After the principal spoke we were asked to play a game in which we found our partners =) Her name was Lijiang. Her English was very good, and she even did an interview with me in front of the camera. I learned so much today, and I am sure other people will tell you all about it in their blogs. –Katie Viniconis

Baoding Middle School

Today we visited an Art School in Charlotte’s sister city Baoding. We were had a very warm reception, they even clapped for us as we walked in. The principal of the school spoke to us, and then we played a game in which we grouped together with the Chinese students. At the end I was paired up with a Chinese girl named Wei Wei. She was very sweet and took me around the school gallery, excitedly showing me her teacher’s paintings, as well as teaching me phrases in Chinese. She even gave me a Chinese name meaning smile. We were both very sad to leave, and she told me that she liked me very much, and that she would practice her English so that she could come to America to see me. It was a very nice visit. –Imre

After a long drive (about an hour or so) we arrived at our destination. Upon arrival, a teacher from the art university came on our bus and said, “Welcome to Baoding!” It was interesting seeing the people and they treated us with such great hospitality and reverence as if we were celebrities. It was an honor being before them. I met a one Wu Di, he practiced his English with me, and I practiced my Chinese with him. The best part of the day was the fact that I barely knew my person, but I feel strange now that we’re apart. It was great to have my profile painted and for one of the faculty members to say that they are my [fans]. [Mind you, this is my first time meeting them]. This is one of the first times since I’ve been on this trip that I didn’t feel like such an outsider to the Chinese.----Nkiruka.

We made it safe and sound! We are in China, everybody!!! All of us are tired, but so excited we just don't care.

Turning in for the night - talk to you tomorrow. In the meantime, check us out - we were on the news as we left the airport in Charlotte to make our way here:

WSOC – http://www.wsoctv.com/news/18173059/detail.html
News 14 (bunch of cool interviews - hope we don't look too tired) – http://news14.com/content/headlines/601963/mecklenburg-students-head-to-china/Default.aspx (Thanks for forwarding, Ben!)

Talk to y'all tomorrow!

Students at the International School at Garinger met with Weimin Yuan and Jen Crickenberger to learn about China and the China I-Sights Photography Program.